This was simple to figure out the FIRST time I saw it on the net... which might have been about 1952 or so, I think.....

Anyone who can't get this after one try is obligated to turn in your mefi membership, you are just too stupid to be here..posted by HuronBob at 9:14 AM on November 11, 2005

Someone needs to spoil it, because I sure as hell don't know how it does it.posted by handshake at 9:14 AM on November 11, 2005

It's an incredibly old trick -- but the ability to click, drag, and paste JPEGs makes it incredibly stupid to try on a computer. Why would someone think this trick would fool anyone online?posted by cribcage at 9:15 AM on November 11, 2005

I can absolutely guarantee no one on metafilter has EVER seen thisposted by poppo at 9:28 AM on November 11, 2005

I shall now attempt to read your thoughts. Please mentally select a card and concentrate on it.

I mentally selected a card that wasn't shown.

DIDN'T SEE THAT ONE COMING DID YOU MINDREADING COMPUTERposted by 23skidoo at 9:29 AM on November 11, 2005

It said "select a card," but it didn't specify that it had to be one shown, so I picked the Ace of Spades :-)

Interestingly, this computer exactly matched the predictive power of every psychic I've seen. Psychics beware, you'll soon be replaced by computers too!posted by Mr Pointy at 9:34 AM on November 11, 2005

This was simple to figure out the FIRST time I saw it on the net... which might have been about 1952 or so, I think.....

Yeah right Bob. Any self respecting geek knows the internet was invented in 1953. Get your facts straight, bub!posted by KevinSkomsvold at 9:37 AM on November 11, 2005

As an aside, I have a tattoo of Felix just like that gif.posted by swift at 9:40 AM on November 11, 2005

Thank you, Poppo, but an FPP featuring an even better mind reading tool does not respond well to Bilko. Should I persevere?posted by Schroder at 9:43 AM on November 11, 2005

When I was a kid, we played "The Wizard". Someone picks a random card from the deck, shows it to all, then your host phones The Wizard, and says "May I please speak to The Wizard?" (Then "Just a minute," when the Wizard answers) and passes the phone around, with The Wizard repeating the name of the chosen card. You can do it again with a different card, and with exactly the same words spoken, The Wizard will know your card. No trick deck, and the card isn't forced. Very clever.posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:45 AM on November 11, 2005

Guessing the TV show, not so much. STARBLAZERS stumps the computer.posted by moonbird at 10:50 AM on November 11, 2005

As an aside, I have a tattoo of Felix just like that gif.
posted by swift at 11:40 AM CST on November 11 [!]

You have an animated tatoo? SWEET!posted by Ynoxas at 11:26 AM on November 11, 2005

Aww... This card trick's ancient. I was hoping for a new one. At least something as fun as the BK Darth Vader one. :Pposted by slf at 11:53 AM on November 11, 2005

yes i was kidding. your sarcasmometer has malfunctioned :)posted by poppo at 11:54 AM on November 11, 2005

Guessing the TV show didn't get Futurama after dozens of questions. I'm correct in saying that it doesn't take place in New York right? Or is New New York considered New York, just newer, and with a different name?posted by parallax7d at 12:21 PM on November 11, 2005

Hey, it got me the first time and I posted it to MeFi to so don't feel too bad, except for the double posting part.posted by fenriq at 1:10 PM on November 11, 2005

hey, when I scroll little felix off the top of the screen, is he still walking up there, under the edge of the browser window??? I've got the flat screen of the iMac tipped all the way back and I'm trying to squint up under there, but I can't see him.....

Could someone with a larger monitor please check??posted by HuronBob at 1:44 PM on November 11, 2005

hey, when I scroll little felix off the top of the screen, is he still walking up there, under the edge of the browser window???

Nah. He's taking a coffee break and having a smoke.posted by Skygazer at 2:21 PM on November 11, 2005

hey, when I scroll little felix off the top of the screen, is he still walking up there, under the edge of the browser window??

Uh, no. I'm not comfortable saying what he IS doing, but, uh, you kinda know what he's doing.

Felix rocks though. It's great the way he's able to fashion the punctation marks (!! or ? or even musical notes) that appear above his head into tools that help out of a jam. In Felix's world there's a highly permeable threshold between the abstract and the ontological.

Um. That card trick. 1952 internets. Totally.posted by Skygazer at 2:58 PM on November 11, 2005

Well go on then, wgp. How is the Wizard trick done?posted by salmacis at 2:00 AM on November 12, 2005

Well go on then, wgp. How is the Wizard trick done?
posted by salmacis at 4:00 AM CST on November 12 [!]

Basically, the person on the other side starts reciting cards, and when they hit the right one, the person then "stops" them and hands the phone.

The most efficient way is with 2 phrases, which he uses above. When the person answers, they start naming the suits, hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs. When they say the right suit, that's when the caller goes "Hello, is the wizard there".

Then, they start with cards, ace, two, three, four, etc. When they hit the right card, the caller says "just a minute" and hands the phone around.

Therefore, the wizard knows he was stopped at diamonds, and stopped at six, therefore, the card is the 6 of diamonds.posted by Ynoxas at 7:44 AM on November 12, 2005

That's it. You get a phone call out of the blue, asking for The Wizard when you've forgotten about him entirely, and you have to start counting, remembering at what number and suit you're interrupted. Completely boggles people's minds, though.posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 11:06 AM on November 12, 2005

Actually, unless the wizard does nothing else with his/her phone other than answer card-trick phone calls, they won't know to start listing off the suits until after "Hello, is the wizard there," right? So I guess you'd need a "yes, I'll hold" to choose the suit and then something like "just a minute" to choose the card value before handing the phone around.posted by nobody at 9:58 AM on November 14, 2005

When you're tuned for clues, they can be extremely subtle.
You could easily get it down to clearing your throat.posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:06 AM on November 14, 2005

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